Car-coupling



(ModeL) WITNESSES:

S. NICHOLS. Gar Coupling.

Patented March 1,1881.

N. Pius PHOTQ-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON D 0 INVENTOR! ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT EErcE.

SIMEON NICHOLS, OF LISBON, MAINE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 238,423, dated March 1, 1881.

Application filed August 14, 1880. (ModeL) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIMEON NICHOLS, of Lisbon, in the county of Androscoggin and State of Maine, have invented a new and Improved Oar-Coupler, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple and convenient device for adjusting the elevation of the coupling-link, and for coupling and uncoupling cars without going between the cars for that purpose.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the coupler. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, A represents the front of a car-platform. A is a bumper, secured to the face thereof.

B is a draw-head, provided with an open mouth, a, and secured to the platform A by the strap B, that embraces said draw-head B and has its points directed upward and entered into the platform A.

(J is a bolster fixed between the platform A and the draw-head B, to hold the latter at a proper level.

D is a stirrup-shaped elbow-lever, pivoted through its elbows on the rod D, that passes transversely through the draw-head B, so that the horizontal slightly-curved forearms b b of said lever D extend forward along the sides of said draw-head B, toward the face thereof, and the connecting cross-bar c, which is provided with a lip, d, projecting outward and downward, stretches across the front of said draw-head B. The vertical arms f f of said lever D extend upward on either side of the draw-head B, and are provided with eyes f f in their extremities, in which are engaged the chains E E, that connect said lever D with the bent levers F F, that are fulcrumed on pins 9 g on the under side of the platform A, so that by moving the handles of said levers F F forward the said lever D has its lip d elevated.

When the lever D is in the position shown in Fig.2 the lip d serves as a guide for the entering of a coupling-link, G, into a draw-head,

B, when the opposite car is lower, and when it is desired to couple with a higher car the link G is elevated to a suitable position by elevating the lever D, as shown in Fig. 1. Thus it will be seen that the purpose of the lever D is to guide and adjust the couplinglink-G.

Along the upper edge of the car-platform A a rocking rod, H, is held in straps H H, the ends of said rod Hbein g bent outward to serve as handles whereby to operate said rod H. From the center of said rod H a curved grooved arm, I, projects forward, said arm I consisting of a slightly-curved round section, m, connected directly with the rod H, and of a slightlycurved section, a, grooved on its upper convex face, as shown at 0, and bent at an angle of about ninety degrees downward from the section m, and in the bend of said arm I is fixed a staple, p, from'which the coupling-pin L is suspended by the chain M, that is held in the groove 0, so that when said arm I is turned down by the action of the rod H, as shown infull lines in the drawings, the bend of the arm I is brought in a direct vertical line above the coupling-pin orifices q q, directing and permitting the coupling-pin L to enter said orifices q q and hold the link Gr, while, when the arm I is turned up, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, the tip of the section a will be in a vertical line over the orifices q q, so that the couplingpin L will be raised and held suspended directly over said orifices q q.

The levers F F and rod H may be operated from the sides of a car, or by means of simple mechanism from the top thereof, whereby the dangers to life and limb consequent on going between cars for coupling or uncoupling may be avoided.

The stirrup-shaped elbow-lever D may be reduced in size and be fixed within the drawhead for protection from injury by contact with outside objects.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A car-coupler constructed substantially as herein shown and described, consisting of draw-head B, stirrup-shaped lever D, provided with lip 01, levers F F, rocking rod H, curved the said coupling-pin is directed and entered grooved arm I, chain M, and coupling-pin L, and withdrawn from the draw-head, as set as set; forth. forth.

2. In a ear-coupler, the combination, with SIMEON NICHOLS. 5 the o0up1ing-pinL,of therooking rod]5[,curved \Vitnesses:

and grooved arm I, and chain M, substan- JESSE DAVIS,

tially as herein shown and described, whereby OzIUs B. COTTON. 

